Breakin’ up is hard to do: Schmidt leaves Apple board

After months of controversy over possible conflicts of interest between Google and Apple, Google CEO Eric Schmidt has resigned from Apple's Board of Directors. The decision comes after the FTC launched a probe into the two companies to see whether competition between them had been reduced thanks to Schmidt's (and Genentech CEO Arthur Levinson's) presence on Apple's board. Continuing concerns from shareholders have forced Schmidt to discuss the issue with the board, apparently resulting in his decision to leave.

"Eric has been an excellent Board member for Apple, investing his valuable time, talent, passion and wisdom to help make Apple successful," Apple CEO Steve Jobs said in a statement. "Unfortunately, as Google enters more of Apple's core businesses, with Android and now Chrome OS, Eric's effectiveness as an Apple Board member will be significantly diminished, since he will have to recuse himself from even larger portions of our meetings due to potential conflicts of interest. Therefore, we have mutually decided that now is the right time for Eric to resign his position on Apple's Board."

Google and Apple may have started out in very different industries, but the two companies have slowly become both partners and competitors. Google continues to partner with Apple in creating and maintaining Google Maps for the iPhone, for example, but the advent of Android has pitted the two companies against each other in the mobile space. That's in addition to the availability of Safari and Chrome as competing Web browsers, too. Levinson's presence on both companies' boards was also cause for concern, though it doesn't appear as if he has decided to resign just yet.

Although the FTC probe launched in May may not have forced Schmidt to leave, it seems as if both companies decided it was in his (and the investors') best interest if they parted ways.